Shortening the steering column

RobinG · 03-04-2011, 12:39 AM

Hi first time cart owner. I just got a free 2000 DS 48V and the column seems to sit too high. I was wondering can it be shortend?

OLD MEC · 03-04-2011, 09:53 AM

JUST A NOTE YOU CAN TILT COLUMN DOWN A LITTLE AT DASH FRAME. Yes it can be done with proper equipment. You need a metal lathe, a milling machine and knowledge how to operate them OR have some machine shop do work for you after you remove column from cart. The correct way is to shorten the steering outer housing with lathe, Then fit bearing and bushing kit to housing and then cut shaft to length and machine new splines on either steering wheel or universal at Rack and Pinion end. For safety sake I do not recommend cutting shaft in middle ( as some do ) and welding back together as this could possibly fail because of welds or from metal failure close to welds.

RobinG · 03-04-2011, 04:24 PM

Thanks Old. I think i will just have to live with it.

rose88 · 03-05-2011, 01:01 PM

I am thinking about cutting mine at the steering wheel and installing a quick release on it, so I can take wheel off. This will allow me to shorten just a little to put it back to stock length after adding coupler.

OLD MEC · 03-05-2011, 03:17 PM

Not having done that conversion I just wonder if it still wouldn't require the shaft end to be splined? I was going to mention a local welding shop's cart had shaft and housing cut down REALLY SHORT ( I couldn't reach wheel unless I hung over dash with no windshield ) for 500 lbs plus owner and he used a thin wall pipe slid over cut pieces and welded back in place. He did tell me that the pipe he used was a special bore size?

rose88 · 03-05-2011, 04:09 PM

Mec,

The coupler slips over the shaft and you can weld it to the stem. Or you can take out the shaft and use the shafts we run on our race cars?

Little more time and I will post pics

OLD MEC · 03-05-2011, 04:20 PM

ROSE88 Yes I would like to see pictures of setup. They came around WAY AFTER my racing days so always interested.

03-04-2011, 12:39 AM	#1
RobinG Not Yet Wild Join Date: Feb 2011 Posts: 8	Shortening the steering column Hi first time cart owner. I just got a free 2000 DS 48V and the column seems to sit too high. I was wondering can it be shortend?
RobinG Not Yet Wild Join Date: Feb 2011 Posts: 8

03-04-2011, 09:53 AM	#2
OLD MEC Gone Wild Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: South Texas Posts: 2,391	Re: Shortening the steering column JUST A NOTE YOU CAN TILT COLUMN DOWN A LITTLE AT DASH FRAME. Yes it can be done with proper equipment. You need a metal lathe, a milling machine and knowledge how to operate them OR have some machine shop do work for you after you remove column from cart. The correct way is to shorten the steering outer housing with lathe, Then fit bearing and bushing kit to housing and then cut shaft to length and machine new splines on either steering wheel or universal at Rack and Pinion end. For safety sake I do not recommend cutting shaft in middle ( as some do ) and welding back together as this could possibly fail because of welds or from metal failure close to welds.

03-04-2011, 04:24 PM	#3
RobinG Not Yet Wild Join Date: Feb 2011 Posts: 8	Re: Shortening the steering column Thanks Old. I think i will just have to live with it.
RobinG Not Yet Wild Join Date: Feb 2011 Posts: 8

03-05-2011, 01:01 PM	#4
rose88 Gone Wild Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: West Tennessee Posts: 1,269	Re: Shortening the steering column I am thinking about cutting mine at the steering wheel and installing a quick release on it, so I can take wheel off. This will allow me to shorten just a little to put it back to stock length after adding coupler.

03-05-2011, 03:17 PM	#5
OLD MEC Gone Wild Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: South Texas Posts: 2,391	Re: Shortening the steering column Not having done that conversion I just wonder if it still wouldn't require the shaft end to be splined? I was going to mention a local welding shop's cart had shaft and housing cut down REALLY SHORT ( I couldn't reach wheel unless I hung over dash with no windshield ) for 500 lbs plus owner and he used a thin wall pipe slid over cut pieces and welded back in place. He did tell me that the pipe he used was a special bore size?

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03-05-2011, 04:09 PM	#6
rose88 Gone Wild Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: West Tennessee Posts: 1,269	Re: Shortening the steering column Mec, The coupler slips over the shaft and you can weld it to the stem. Or you can take out the shaft and use the shafts we run on our race cars? Little more time and I will post pics

03-05-2011, 04:20 PM	#7
OLD MEC Gone Wild Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: South Texas Posts: 2,391	Re: Shortening the steering column ROSE88 Yes I would like to see pictures of setup. They came around WAY AFTER my racing days so always interested.

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